


I've Seen Dark Before (but not like this)

by redroseworks



Series: Earth-116 [41]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Black Canary (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Funerals, M/M, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24945769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redroseworks/pseuds/redroseworks
Summary: After the events of Athanasia and Lisa's wedding three funerals are held for three people who meant so much to so many.Can be read as a stand alone
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane/Lana Lang, Dick Grayson/Roy Harper, Dinah Drake/Nyssa al Ghul
Series: Earth-116 [41]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1395514
Kudos: 3





	I've Seen Dark Before (but not like this)

June 20th, 2031

Nyssa has been alive since 1732; she has lost so many people. Her mother. Her siblings. Her lovers and spouses. Her children. 

Yet the pain never dulled. Each loss felt like a stab in the heart. Dinah Drake was no different. She had loved that woman twice in her life. Once when Dinah was a young adult, ready to take on the world and looking for a teacher in Combat Sambo. Then again when Dinah was an old woman, a widow, a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, and still one of the most amazing women Nyssa has known.

Her father did this. That she wouldn’t forget. 

“Nyssa? It’s time to go.” Talia said through the bedroom door. Nyssa, Mara, and Peony had been staying at Wayne Manor the last few days. 

Her brother in law was still in the hospital. Talia was a wreck with that along with Athanasia being missing, Richard being in and out of surgery, then Timothy Kent-Wayne, Lian Harper, and Ricky Todd were all still in the hospital. 

It was the funeral of Dinah Drake Lance today. Nyssa opened the door and looked at her baby sister. 

“I have lived for hundreds of years and yet this never gets easier.”

“You’re only human.” Talia said. 

Nyssa merely nodded.

The funeral was large. Drakes were everywhere. Not Timothy though. He was still in the hospital. Dinah had never told her extended family that she was a superhero. 

Many of them didn’t like Nyssa because she looked barely older than some of Dinah’s grandchildren. 

Any living member of the JSA was there as well. Not to mention the Lance-Queen and furthermore family. And the Waynes. And many members of the Justice League. A few of them were just out of the hospital.

She was the Black Canary. She was the first teenage superhero at 16. She was one of the first woman superheroes. She was one of the first black superheroes. 

She was Dinah Drake-Lance. She was a florist. She was a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was a cancer survivor. She was 79 years old and she was still as tough as nails. 

After the funeral Nyssa carried Peony out. The baby had slept through the whole thing. 

Nyssa thought about lighting a cigarette but she couldn’t; not near Peony. 

She had only adopted Peony a few months ago. She and Dinah… they were to raise her together despite Dinah’s old age. 

Nyssa had wanted to grow old with someone. 

And Dinah was that someone. 

Dinah and Aleksandr had been the loves of her life. 

And they both died. 

At least she only had a few decades left; no more Pit meant that she would age and die. 

Thank goodness for that. 

June 23rd, 2031

Roy tied the tie on Dylras’s neck. “Okay. There. We’re ready to go.” 

He had to stay calm for the kids. Dick died the same night as older Dinah’s funeral. How fucked up was that? 

Dylras was 5. Bo was 8. Valerie was 11. Mar’i was 14. Lian was 22. And they all had just lost a parent. Roy wasn’t even 40 yet and he lost his husband. 

Lian was just barely out of the hospital. She still had so many injuries. And with Tommy missing… she and Mar’i had been so close to the boy. 

And if it weren’t for Mar’i they all would have lost Lian too. Dylras and Valerie survived thanks to their abilities though Valerie was out for about a day because she’s Atleantean (granted that was for the best given the fact that her biological grandfather was a sharkman according to the letter that came with her so when she was around a lot of blood it made her freak out). He and Bo survived because of luck. 

He was grateful for them surviving. He had nearly lost Lian so many times in her early years; he can’t imagine what he would do if he actually lost any of his children.

But he would trade his own life for Dick’s in a heartbeat. 

“Daddy? You’re crying. Is it because Papa isn’t back yet?” Dylras asked. 

“Dylras… we’ve talked through this. Papa is gone and he won’t come back, okay?”

“But why not?” 

“When someone dies… their body is too hurt to come back.”

Dylras looked at him with his bright green eyes. “So Papa and Nana Dinah aren’t coming back?” 

Roy hugged his youngest child as they both started to cry. “No, I’m sorry. They’re not. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” 

Later as Roy loaded all the kids into his van he noticed how bad they were. Lian looked like she hadn’t slept. Mar’i’s eyes and hair had no glow to them. Valerie was completely zoned out. Bo was shaking. And Dylras was still crying. 

He’s already taken them to one funeral this week. 

Him and Dick weren’t supposed to die until they were old. Until they had grandkids and maybe even great grandkids. Lian would be a doctor when they died. Mar’i would be queen of New Tamaran. Valerie would be a fully grown sorcerer. Bo and Dylras would be grown ups doing their own thing. 

But now Dick was dead. 

What the fuck was he suposed to do? 

He shook his head and started driving. The funeral was today and it was a bright summer day in Arizona. Kind of ironic in some sort of sick twisted way. 

Dick would have enjoyed this day. He would have taken the kids on a picnic or swimming. Maybe they would have gone camping. 

Mar’i had only just gotten back from New Tamaran. She was getting better even with Lucy, her moms and her sister disappearing with only a note about how they all needed to get away.

Jade had only just been free. Lian had been so happy. And her and Irey were making plans to buy a house.

Valerie’s birthday was only a few weeks ago. They had bought her some tropical fish to practice speaking to now that she understood she couldn’t just eat them.

Bo was just learning how to ride a bike and was getting into acrobatics and gymnastics like Dick. 

Dylras was finally in control of his powers and started to learn archery only that year.

And Dick died. 

Dick died and he was never coming back. 

If someone were to ask him what happened at the funeral he couldn't tell them because he blocked it out. 

All he could think about was how his kids looked in the van that day. So filled with grief. 

He finally let himself cry that night as he sat on his and Dick’s bed. 

June 27th, 2031

Clark knew Lois was going to die before him. He knew it was likely. 

But not this soon. 

He looked at his youngest child and his oldest granddaughter swinging on a swingset Clark had gotten so many years ago. Both girls wore black and looked so sad. 

Lara and Sandra were so close and Clark knew that Sandra was scared. She was scared because Tim was still in the hospital. 

“Laney called. She’s sorry she’s not here.” Lana sat down on the stairs of the porch of the Kent farmhouse with him.

Clark nodded. “I heard. Thank you for telling her no one is mad at her.” 

“Of course. I think she would have rather heard you on the phone.” 

“I know. I just- out of all the kids she’s the one who sounds the most like Lois. She even does that same click when she’s upset. And the same sarcastic tone that Lois had when she called me Smallville. I know I should have answered but I don’t know.” 

“I get it. I remember when you died… some days Lois would cry whenever she looked at Lisa.”

“I’ll call Laney soon. I know I called her with the news but right now it hurts.”

“I called Lisa Lois a few minutes ago. It hurts to see all the kids. They all got something from her, you know? Even Kon and Chris. They picked up on some of her behaviors.”

“Clark and Mae too.” Clark added. 

“Oh yes. I remembered when he was still a child and Peter called asking why his son had been flying with Superman and was building a story bulletin board. And Mae oh goddess, I still can’t believe Lois taught the girl how to box within a week of her being here.” 

“I still can’t believe you married Peter. He was not your type at all.”

“I was a closeted lesbian, Clark. My second marriage was much better. Lois was a one of a kind woman.”

“That she was.” Clark smiled slightly.

“What are we going to do without her?” Lana asked, looking at Lara and Sandra. 

“Our best. We still have to raise Lara. It’s going to be hard without Lois but we got to stand strong for Lara, she’s still just a kid. She needs us.” 

“Yeah. But remember, it’s okay to not be strong. Lois tried so hard to be strong for Lisa until she broke down.”

“Same goes for you then. Maybe we can take turns at being the strong one.” Clark said as she leaned against him. 

He felt the tears roll off her face and out to his shirt. 

They would get through this together. Their wife may be dead but they would get through this. 

They would. They had too.


End file.
